Increasingly, PCs and other electronic devices have one or more serial bus ports as a standard specification. Peripherals of all types typically contain a serial bus port for connection to PCs, tablets, and other computing devices. Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are increasingly standard for power and data connections to mobile telephones and other electronic devices. Power outlets and batteries are now commonly designed to contain USB ports and to use these USB ports to provide Direct Current (DC) power for mobile telephones and other electronic devices.
A method for supplying DC power to a display device through a USB port is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP10-326128. A method for supplying DC power to a mobile phone through a USB port is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,649 B1. An adaptor for providing a source of DC power to a mobile device through a serial bus port is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,239,111 B2. A method for communicably connecting two electronic devices with a USB cable is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,525,046 B2. Methods and apparatus for providing automatic high speed data connection for portable devices with a FireWire (IEEE Standard 1394) serial bus are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,451,250 B2.
The ubiquitous nature of serial bus devices requires the routine use of dedicated serial bus connection cables, as these connection cables are typically not integral portions of the serial bus devices. Because many of these devices are designed to be mobile, this evolving serial bus standard therefore creates a need for users to routinely carry serial bus cables, or to repeatedly find or purchase serial bus cables.
Various approaches are used to solve the problem of conveniently carrying serial bus cables. One approach is to construct serial bus cables that have the size and shape of a commonly and conveniently carried item, such as a credit card, a collapsing pocket knife, or a door key. In some approaches, a serial bus cable is combined into another useful article, such as a key chain or a bracelet. U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,758,045 B2 combines a serial bus cable into a carabiner.
Utility straps are commonly used by persons who are traveling between locations. Utility straps are often used for carrying loads, such as to carry multiple bags, to attach loads to back packs, or to carry other accoutrements. Some utility straps are used to secure loads, such as to keep items safely within a bicycle's basket by connecting the utility strap across the top rails of the basket. Some utility straps are used to bind items together, such as to wrap a bundled electrical cable. Some utility straps contain features enabling them to be used for specific purposes such as attaching multiple luggage items to each other.
A multi-purpose utility strap is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,458,864 B1. A load-bearing utility strap for securing large articles and vehicles is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,077 B2. A utility strap for holding one piece of luggage to another is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,450 A. A method for connecting three luggage items with a utility strap is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. US20060102672 A1.
Some practitioners have recognized some of the benefits of incorporating an electronic connector into a load-bearing higher assembly. U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,758,045 B2 is an example of this approach. A method for combining a portable electronic device lanyard with an earpiece cable is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 20140185856 A1. A method for integrating a cable with the webbing of a load-carrying vest is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120045929 A1.
As demonstrated by these samples of U.S. and international publications, the availability of serial bus cables remains a persistent problem in the state of the art of electronic and electrical devices. No device within the current art solves this problem through the innovative approach of combining the serial bus cable with a utility strap. Those skilled in the related arts will note that the approach of combining the functionality of a serial bus cable with a utility strap is particularly challenging as it requires developing a solution which will carry a tensile load along the elongated strap without over-stressing the serial bus connectors at the ends of the serial bus cable.